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Topic Review (Newest First)

12-28-2004 06:11 AM

wilbert

just bought the "fly tying bible" good book and only cost £14 inc P&P. its covers flys for different fish and conditions and has clear step by step instructions with pictures.

12-27-2004 12:15 PM

macspey

oh, THAT bear,,,,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devronmac

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I met a guy in the North of Scotland who told me Polar Bear hair from the bear's scrotum was a must for salmon tubes. I asked him how you could get close enough to the Polar Bear to cut the hair. He was reticent about telling me, but he did have a nasty limp and was blind in one eye.

Unbelievable! I met a Polar Bear last spring- had to be the same bear. He offered me a wee dram of cheer, and when he filled our cups from a flask of 25 year-old Balvenie, I asked him how in the world he'd come by this treasure. Well, he said it was too strange to describe, but he did say it was a "Trade" with a Flytier from the North of Scotland.

PS- This is the only Polar Bear I've ever noticed wearing a Tartan Speedo

Happy Holidays
macspey

12-26-2004 11:12 AM

Devronmac

Atlantic Salmon Fly Patterns

I started tying my own tube flies last season. The most successful were the Willie Gunn and Cascade variants with jungle cock eyes. I just managed to buy a jungle cock cape on e-bay so I will have enough for years now. I have no doubt they add to attraction greatly particularly in spring and autumn. They also work well on Irish Shrimp Flies which I use a lot in trebles size 8 and 10.
I use Bucktail mostly on the tubes but also calf cair and goats hair. Anything that moves well in the water is worth using. A few strands of glowbrite add to the effect especially orangey green. I don't think the salmon are too worried about nicely tied bodies. Mine usually fall apart fairly quickly particularly after a few kelts have given them a doing !! The beauty of them is that you can strip them down and retie them in minutes and, if, like me, you are not an expert at tying a double turle knot, they sit nicely in the water on a double blood knot attached to the hook.
I met a guy in the North of Scotland who told me Polar Bear hair from the bear's scrotum was a must for salmon tubes. I asked him how you could get close enough to the Polar Bear to cut the hair. He was reticent about telling me, but he did have a nasty limp and was blind in one eye.

12-18-2004 01:51 PM

Willie Gunn

My dressings have been getting easier and easier. I admire you proper tiers who can tie spey versions. The Willie Gunn was designed to be a hair wing version of the Thunder and Lightening

12-18-2004 01:17 PM

speydoc

Willie G
Steelhead will take straight yarn(and a hell of a lot of other stuff too) and I suspect Atlantics will too, if given the chance - so why do we tie ornate stuff?, for me it's to prevent boredom at the vice! Ever tried a spey version of the "willie gunn"?
Speydoc

http://www.fluefiske.net/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=6 (On the far right side you will find som salmonflies=Laksefluer (NO))

12-12-2004 06:38 PM

flytyer

Sure. Just keep in mind that the starling feathers look different and don't have the "enamel like" coloring all the way to the tip of the feather like jungle cock nails.

12-12-2004 07:56 AM

shotgunner

?

could starling nails be substituted on the smaller patterns effectively?

12-12-2004 07:48 AM

fishingd0

alternative hooks

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilbert

Willie gunn do you tie most of your patterns on tubes or do you tie trebles,doubles and singles too?? I have just started tying tubes and find them much less hastle to tie, I find small trebles are a nightmare (10's and smaller). I have most of the materials that everyone has mentioned but no jungle cock. Is it worth buying some as i think flies look much better with it but do the fish?

Thanks

I also hate tying on small trebles. I find it far too time consuming and normally end up with a dozen hook pricks on my thumb and forefinger.

I have now resorted to tying most of my salmon flies on doubles.

I find them so much easier to on.

Personally I think they swim far better than trebles.

And over the years I have found that doubles land just as many, if not more fish than trebles. Whether it is because fish can leaver the treble out easier with the extra hook is up for debate?

Gordon

12-12-2004 05:39 AM

Willie Gunn

In the cold water I use tubes mostly, but in the summer months use trebles,doubles.and singles. Certainly when using a fast sinking line and loosing a lot of flies I worry less with tubes.
Jungle cock is nice, certainly adds something to a fly, I think the fish like it too, but what do I know.

12-11-2004 08:15 PM

wilbert

Willie gunn do you tie most of your patterns on tubes or do you tie trebles,doubles and singles too?? I have just started tying tubes and find them much less hastle to tie, I find small trebles are a nightmare (10's and smaller). I have most of the materials that everyone has mentioned but no jungle cock. Is it worth buying some as i think flies look much better with it but do the fish?

Thanks

12-10-2004 01:08 PM

sean

Actually Igor it was re-released 10/31/2004, only about a month ago, so cut the guy some slack.

That being said I just got this and it is most excellent. By far the best book I have seen for a beginner looking to getting into tying the classic flies. Lots of goods hints and tips throughout that the other books skip over.

-sean

12-10-2004 12:54 PM

Igor

More misinformation Herr Moderator? (*g*)

Quote:

Originally Posted by flytyer

If you are looking for a book to learn how to tie married featherwings, see if you can find a copy of Ron Alcott's BUILDING SALMON FLIES. It is no longer in print, but it is the best, step-by-step married wing tying book I've ever seen, and it is available for around $15.00 US on the used book market.

Malcolm' There is more to life than Willie Gunns! I believe someone once said something to the effect of "variety is the spice of life". Or to put it another way "it would be a sad state in the affairs of a man to limit himself solely to but one whisky for the entirety of his life".

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